When a cow escapes her slaughterhouse fate, witnesses cheer
the animal and boo her pursuers. It is human nature to root for the underdog, or
undercow, whose death has been spared by an incredibly innate will to be free.

Such an event has happened before many times in Brooklyn, New
York, and in Pittsburg and Chicago and Detroit, and each time, the animal is
spared and given sanctuary at one of America's many farm shelters, to become a
lifetime ambassador who inspires school children not to eat meat.

Slaughterhousecam.com will one day have live cameras showing
live slaughter, for that is what it will take to end meat eating.

Instinctively, most of those who cheer an escaping cow want
her to live. There is no natural urge for humans to kill such gentle creatures.
Those who cheer will salivate over that same evening's steak or brisket or
corned beef sandwich, unable to make the connection between a living and
breathing creature who wants only to be free. Look, if you dare:
http://www.slaughterhousecam.com

If you are a cheesehead or milk drinker, she is your cow,
because that is the fate of three million dairy cows each year who no longer are
efficient "agricultural units." Your use of dairy products makes you the as
responsibile for her death as would the actions of any meat eater.

I found the following Associated Press Story on Forbes.com
late Friday night.

Associated Press - January 6, 2005

Cow Escapes Meat Plant, Dodges Cars, Train

A cow that escaped a slaughterhouse dodged vehicles, ran in
front of a train, braved the icy Missouri River and took three tranquilizer
darts before being recaptured six hours later.

News of the heifer's adventures prompted a number of people to
offer to buy the animal.

"I talked to the owner and the owner will sell her," said a
man who answered the phone at Mickey's Packing Plant, but would only identify
himself as Randy. He said the sales price will likely be more than the heifer's
market worth of $1,140.

The black, 1,200 pound heifer jumped a gate at the packing
plant at around 5 a.m. Thursday.

The cow apparently wandered through residential areas for a
time before police received reports at about 9:30 a.m. that it was in the middle
of a busy intersection.

Police tried to catch the cow, and had her wedged between a
stock trailer and a fence, but the heifer barreled through the fence toward the
river, nearly being hit by a Chevrolet Suburban.

It was the first of many near-death experiences.

With the police in pursuit, the cow ran toward the railroad
tracks and darted in front of an oncoming locomotive, briefly giving the police
the slip again.

Crossing another road, the cow was nearly struck by a semi
tractor-trailer.

"By then it was a madhouse," said police officer Corey Reeves.

"People were coming out of the woodwork to see."

When police, animal control officers and slaughterhouse
workers surrounded the cow in a park near the Missouri River, the cow jumped
into the icy water.

As she swam to the west bank of the river, Reeves said she
sank lower in the water and was being swept downstream.

But the cow found a sandbar near the river's west bank and
walked to shore.

"I was totally amazed she was able to swim the river," said
Del Morris, the slaughterhouse manager.

As police scrambled to head off the cow on the other side of
the river, a veterinarian with a tranquilizer gun was called.

Pursuers again believed they had the cow cornered at a chain
link fence, but the heifer, foaming at the mouth, ran through a perimeter set up
by officials.

The chase began to slow as the cow ran up against several
strong fences, including one separating the street from Interstate 15.